Expanding global access to advanced microscopy

Microscopy offers detailed insight into the internal world of cells and has underpinned many fundamental discoveries in cell biology. However, state-of-the-art technology is not only expensive to maintain but requires specialised expertise and physical access to parts, meaning that cutting-edge techniques are not always accessible to all research groups. In this Essay, Journal of Cell Science has invited four researchers to discuss their own perspectives on approaches to democratise microscopy across the world. What are the best distribution strategies to improve access to microscopes and facilities across Africa? How can open-source approaches support local maintenance and development of microscopes in Latin America when hardware access and company support is not always readily available? How can networks help build regional expertise in super-resolution imaging to ensure researchers have the right microscopy support? Finally, the authors explore how the choice of technique itself can enable easier access to high-resolution imaging - by physically enlarging the sample, expansion microscopy reduces the requirement for expensive, specialised microscopes. With increasing strategies to reduce costs and improve resource distribution, advanced imaging techniques and improved resolution are becoming more widely available to support future discoveries in cell biology across the world.